Oscillating sprinkler for lawns and gardens



April 27, 1954 M. D. SQUIERS 2,676,842

OSCILLATING SPRINKLER FOR LAWNS AND GARDENS Filed Dec. 4. 1950 I I INVENTORI v 771% ,Merrfl/ p J r; wok Q ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 27, 1954 OFFICE OSCILLATIN G SPRINKLER 'EOR'LAWNS' AND GARDENS Merrill D. Squiers, Kalamazoo, Mich.

Application December 4, 1950, Serial,No. 1'99,050

This; invention relates to improvements in-oscillating sprinkler forlawns and gardens.

The principal objects of this invention are:

First, to provide an efiicient sprinkler ofthe oscillating type having a relatively few number of component parts which can-be .quickly and economically assembled or disassembled.

-S .eco nd, toprovide .an oscillating sprinkler having a sprinkler pipe which is oscillatably supported from the ends to permit the assembly-and disassembly thereof without interference with spray nozzles on the pipe.

:Third, to provide a sprinkler of the oscillating spray pipe type having a minimum of supporting parts which function solely to connect and locate the-operating elements of the sprinkler.

Fourth, to provide a sprinkler with a simplified :watermotor supportingly connected to an oscillatable sprinklerpipe by a single fixed bearing bracket and .the water outlet pipe for conducting water from the motor to the sprinkler pipe. 7

Other objects and advantages relating to details of my invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and claims. The drawings, of which there is one sheet, illustrate a preferred form of my sprinkler.

Fig.1 is a perspective view of the sprinkler.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary transverse cross sectional view through the sprinkler and water motor :thereof.

Fig.3 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal cross sectional view through the bearing support at the outer end of the sprinkler pipe.

The sprinkler construction described and claimed-herein constitutes animprovement over the sprinklershown in my copending application, Serial No. 68,101, filed December 30, 1948, now PatentN 0. 2,546,241 for Oscillating Lawn Sprinkler.

.My present sprinkler includes a sled-like base 1 having runners 2 connectedby the crossbars 3. The crossbars 3 serve to locate and supports, water motor, generally indicated at .4, 'centrally of the base I. The water motor 4 includes a rectangular body or casing 5 defining a'cylindrical rotor chamber 6 open to the vertical longitudinal front side-face of the casing as illustrated iniFig. 1. An inlet nipple '1 extends through the front 6 Claims. (Cl. 299.67

edge ofthe .body to the bottom of the rotorchamher and .is provided with a' coupling 8 forthe attachmentof a heseto therm tor. An outlet .ris -;ifi-e tend forward yiro th front dge of the motor-bodv a d opens inwardly tot erupp npftther -chambe I lleopenface of the rotorchambert-isaclosed= to absorb-the end thrust of the worm l9.

by a plate lllhaving the-gearbox ll formed inegrally-entire outer, sidethereof. The gearbox ll defines a forwardly opening gear chamber l2 closed by the cover plate I3 and transversely al-ignedbores I14 and were formed through the lower side wall oftheygearbox and the plate It concentric withithe rotor chamber 6. A bearing 5 mountedinqthe opening [5 rotatably supports the rotor; shaft i1 and the inner'end of the shaft in turnsupports and is drivingly connected -to;a rotor or-water wheel, I8 disposed in the rotor chamber.

The outerqend of ,thegrotor shaft I! carries a worm-.l.-9; disposed inthe bottom of the gear chamber l2. rOutwaIidl-y of the worm Hi, the rotor shaft is provided :With-apilot portion of reduced cross section. The pilotportion 20 is rotatably supportedin a journal bearing 2! pressed into the opening |;4-a-nd a screw 22 threaded into the journal bearing -2I acts as an adjustable thrust bearingcoacting with the end of the pilot The screw :22 also serves to adjust and center the rotor I8 axially-within the rotor chamber 6.

A crankshaft 23 extends through the rear wall of the gearbox H and carries the gear wheel 24 meshing with the worm Ill. The rear or outer end of the crankshaft 23 is provided with a crank arm 25. Theouter end of the crank arm 25is releasably andpivotally connected to a connecting rod 26.

The rear end wall of the motor block 5 has a bearing bracket, 21 secured thereto as by boltsZB. The bracket .21 hasa rearwardly and upwardly curved arm 29 terminating in an upturned ear 38.

The ear-3B is located-in facing generally parallel .relationshipwith theupper branch 3| of a U- shaped coupling SZ-secu-red to the forward end ofthe outlet pipe 9. The upper branch 38 of the-coupling carries a rearwardly projecting nipple 33 which is rotatably and slidably received withinthe forward end of the sprinkler pipe 3 A; gland 3.5 and-suitable packing elements carried onthe forward endpf the sprinkler pipe seal the pipe to the nipple 33 -w-hile permitting relative oscillation therebetween.

The-rean-pndfif the sprinkler pipe 34 is closed by a screw cap/3 6 and-as is best illustrated in Fig. csthelcantfi isprovided with a central axial ;bearingplugfiil. plug 31is of rust resistant antifrictionzmaterial and-defines an axial bearing. opening for receiving :the forward end of the bearing :pin' :The pin38 is supported in the car so -::and- :issheldin place therein as by a setiscrew;39.. I

As in my previous sprinkler disclosed in the above described copending application, the sprinkler pipe 34 is provided with a plurality of sprinkler nozzles 4!] disposed longitudinally therealong. Intermediate of its ends and opposite the crank arm 2'5, the sprinkler pipe 34 is provided with an angularly adjustable arm or bracket 4| adjustably secured in place by the thumbscrew 4-2 as is best illustrated in Fig. 2. The swinging end of the arm or bracket 4| is radially slotted, as at 43, to be adjustably secured to the connecting rod 26.

With the foregoing construction, the sprinkler nozzles 40 can be assembled and adjusted on the sprinkler pipe prior to the mounting of the pipe on its bearing supports. The forward end of the sprinkler pipe can then be slid axially over the nipple 33 after which the end thrust pin and sup-.

port 38 can be advanced axially from the upright 3a to support the rear end of the sprinkler pipe.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An oscillatable sprinkler comprising, a base, a water motor including a body mounted on said base and a water wheel rotatable in said body in a vertical longitudinal plane of the sprinkler, said motor having a crankshaft with a crank arm and connecting rod rotating in a transverse vertical plane of said base, an outlet pipe extending forwardly from the end of said motor and having a U-shaped coupling mounted in vertical rearwardly opening position on the forward end of the pipe, a nipple extending rearwardly from the upper end of said coupling, a sprinkler pipe having an oscillatable packed connection and support on said nipple and having a plurality of spray nozzles projecting from different points along its length, a bearing support bracket secured to the rear edge of the body of said water motor and extending rearwardly and upwardly to adjacent the rear end of said sprinkler pipe, a cap closing the rear end of said pipe and having an axially outwardly facing bearing socket therein, and a pin axially adjustably secured in the upper end of said bearing support bracket and engaged 'in said last bearing to oscillatably support the rear end of said pipe, said pipe having an operating arm projecting radially therefrom and adjustably secured to said connecting rod.

2. An oscillatable sprinkler comprising, a base, a water motor mounted on said base and having an outlet pipe extending from one end thereof, a bracket removably secured to and extending from the opposite end of said motor and having a bearing support portion at its upper end, a U-shaped coupling secured to said outlet pipe and having its upper end opposed to said bearing support portion, a sprinkler pipe having an angularly oscillatable packed supporting engagement at one end with the upper branch of said coupling and being arranged to receive water therethrough, a closure cap for the opposite end of said sprinkler pipe, and a bearing pin carried by said bearing support portion and engageable with said cap to support the opposite end of said pipe, said motor having a water supply connection and a rotating crank arm adjustably connected to said sprinkler pipe to oscillate the same.

3. An oscillatable sprinkler comprising, a base, a water motor mounted on said base and having an outlet pipe extending from one end thereof, a bracket extending from the opposite end of said motor and having a bearing support portion at its upper end, a U-shaped coupling secured to said outlet pipe and having its upper end opposed to said bearing support portion, a sprinkler pipe having an angularly oscillatable packed supporting engagement at one end with the upper branch of said coupling and being arranged to receive water therethrough, a closure cap for the opposite end of said sprinkler pipe, and a bearing pin adjustably carried by said bearing support portion and axially engageable With said cap to support the opposite end of said pipe, said motor having a Water supply connection and a rotating crank arm adjustably connected to said sprinkler pipe to oscillate the same,

4. An oscillatable sprinkler comprising, a base, a water motor mounted on said base and having an outlet pipe extending from one end thereof, a bracket extending from the opposite end of said motor and having a bearing support portion at the upper end thereof, said outlet pipe having an upwardly extending U-shaped end ortion with its upper end opposed to said bearing support portion, a sprinkler pipe having an an gularly oscillatable packed supporting engagement at one end with the upper end of said U-shaped portion and being arranged to receive water therethrough, a closure on the opposite end of said sprinkler pipe, and a bearing carried by said bearing support portion and engageable with said opposite end of said pipe, said motor having a water supply connection and a rotating crank arm connected to said sprinkler pipe.

5. A sprinkler comprising, a water motor having a body forming a rotor chamber open along a vertical longitudinal side of said body, a plate closing said open side and having an integral gear box formed on the outer side of the plate, said gear box forming a gear chamber open along a side of the box transverse to said plate, said plate and the adjacent portion of said gear box forming a bearing opening between said rotor chamber and said gear chamber, a rotor shaft journal in said bearing opening and ex tending into said gear chamber, a rotor secured to said shaft and positioned within said rotor chamber, a screw threaded into an outer wall of said gear box coaxially with said shaft and having adjustable thrust engagement therewith, a worm on said shaft, a crank shaft journaled in said gear box extending transversely of said first shaft, a gear on said crank shaft drivihgly engaged with said Worm, a fluid supply conduit opening into said rotor chamber along the lower portion thereof tangentially with respect to said rotor, a fluid outlet conduit opening from said rotor chamber and extending longitudinally from one end of said body, a bracket removably secured to the opposite end of said body from said outlet conduit and having an outwardly and upwardly extending bearing arm, a reversely turned coupling portion on the outer end of said outlet conduit having its outer end directed toward said bearing arm, a sprinkler pipe having an oscillating packed connection and support on the open end of said coupling portion and at one end of said pipe, a closure on the opposite end of said pipe, a bearing element adjustably carried by said bearing arm and en gageable with said closure at the other end of said pipe, sprinkler nozzles disposed longitudinally along said sprinkler pipe, an operating arm projecting radially from said sprinkler pipe, and a connecting rod operatively connecting said operating arm with a crank on said crank shaft. 6. A water motor for sprinkler comprising, a

body forming a rotor chamber opening along a longitudinal side of said body, a plate closing said open side and having an integral gear box formed on the outer side of the plate, said gear box forming a gear chamber, said plate and the adjacent portion of said gear box forming a bearing opening between said rotor chamber and said gear chamber, a rotor shaft journal in said bearing opening and extending into said gear chamber, a rotor secured to said shaft and positioned within said rotor chamber, a screw threaded into an outer wall of said gear box coaxially with said shaft and having adjustable thrust engagement therewith, a worm on said shaft, a crank shaft journaled in said gear box and extending transversely of said first shaft, a gear on said crank shaft drivingly engaged with said worm, a fluid supply conduit opening into said rotor chamber tangentially with respect to said rotor, a fluid outlet conduit opening from said rotor chamber and extending longitudinally from 6 one end of said body, said body having means thereon for attachment to a support, a bracket secured to the opposite end of said body from said outlet conduit and having an outwardly and upwardly extending bearing arm, and a reversely turned coupling portion on the outer end of said outlet conduit having its outer end directed to- Ward said bearing arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 758,546 Manahan Apr. 26, 1904 1,199,780 Goodrich Oct. 3, 1916 1,479,675 ees Jan. 1, 1924 1,730,248 Shaffer Oct. 1, 1929 1,942,271 Barrington Jan. 2, 1934 2,218,869 Bilde Oct. 22, 1940 2,597,366 Nordenstam May 20, 1952 

